Park Contact Information

Park Creation Timeline

On October 25, 1923 President Calvin Coolidge signs the proclamation creating Carlsbad Cave National Monument.

1930

On May 14, 1930 Congress passes the bill elevating the monument to national park and renaming it Carlsbad Caverns.

1995

The park is named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

Animals and Plants

Above-ground mammals include mule deer, pronghorn, rocky mountain elk, mountain lions, coyotes, and rarely seen black bears. By far the most common are the bats, of which there are 17 species. The Brazilian free-tailed bats are the most known, and hundreds of thousands exit the cave every night spring through fall. This spectacle is witnessed every night from the Bat Flight Amphitheater. The NPS has prepared a complete list of mammals in the park.

Reptiles above-ground are those common to the desert environment, with many species of lizards and snakes, and even 4 species of turtle. The NPS has prepared a complete list of reptiles and amphibians in the park.

The park is home to 357 known species of birds at least part of the year. The most common to be seen are the cave swallows darting in and out of the natural entrance. The NPS has prepared a complete list of birds in the park.

The park contains a surprising variety of plant communities, but over half of it is covered by shrublands, and that is what is easily seen from the roadways. These include pinchot juniper, ocotillo, prickly pear cactus, creosote, tarbush, and mesquite. Larger trees, such as ponderosa pine and bigleaf maple, occur mainly in drainages and higher elevation areas. The NPS has created an excellent PDF of the park's plant species.